Police are investigating an online threat against JK Rowling.
The “Harry Potter” author took to Twitter to send her best wishes to Sir Salman Rushdie shortly after he was attacked on stage in New York state, but her message sparked a threatening response from a user of the microblogging platform.
Rowling, 57, initially tweeted: “Horrible news. I feel so sick right now. May she be well.”
But in response, the Twitter user said: “Don’t worry you’re next. (sic)”
JK, who has over 13 million followers on the platform, later shared a screenshot of the threat and asked Twitter to take some action.
She wrote: “TwitterSupport is there any chance of support?
“To everyone sending messages of support – thank you [heart emojis] The police are involved (they were already involved in other threats). (sic)”
Rowling also questioned whether Twitter was being strict enough to enforce its guidelines.
She said: “TwitterSupport These are your guidelines, right? “Violence: You may not threaten violence against an individual or a group of people. We also prohibit the glorification of violence… “Terrorism/Violent Extremism: You may not threaten or promote terrorism…” (sic)”
Now, a police spokesman has confirmed that “inquiries” are being made after they were made aware of the incident.
A Police Scotland spokesman said: “We have received a report of an online threat and officers are making inquiries.”
Meanwhile, Warner Bros Discovery (WBD), the entertainment company behind the “Harry Potter” film franchise, has condemned the threat.
The company said in a statement: “We stand with her and all authors, storytellers and creators who bravely express their creativity and opinions. WBD believes in free speech, peaceful speech and support for those who offer their opinions in the public sphere.
“Our thoughts are with Sir Salman Rushdie and his family following the senseless act of violence in New York. The company strongly condemns any form of threat, violence or intimidation where opinions, beliefs and thoughts may differ.”
